I promised forever
by Saphire282
Summary: Five years after Gins death Hotaru comes back to the forest, willing to sacrifice everything in order to have a second chance to be with her first love. Will the mountain god hear her out and allow her a chance at happiness?
1. A Less Than Humble Request

**Warning, this story has some angst moments. Sadness and violence will occur. Proceed with caution. Also, I do not own any rights to "Hotarubi no Mori e". If I did I wouldn't be writing an alternative ending now would I?**

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It was a relatively normal summer day in the forest of firefly lights. At least, it was normal until around noon, when a determined young woman wearing a white cotton dress and a fox mask entered the forest, heading straight for the mountain gods' shrine. The spirits of the forest immediately took notice of her arrival. The wind picked up, the leaves fluttered, wisps of vague figures momentarily formed and disappeared on either side of the path she tread. She could hear many voices frantically whispering, but she didn't break her stride for even a moment to listen.

 _It's been five years Gin, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting._

The young woman traveled high up into the mountain, till she made it to the end of the path where the mountain gods' shrine sat. She stopped in front of the shrine, and dropped to her knees. She clasped her hands, and looked up to the sky while she made a declaration loud enough for nearly all the forest to hear.

"Dear mountain god! Hear my plea! I wish to trade my human life to become a spirit of this forest!"

Suddenly, the wind died, and all the whispers vanished. The mountain, and its inhabitants became very still, as if everyone paused to mentally digest her request. Twenty minutes of eerie stillness passed, however the young lady barely moved a muscle from her position of prayer.

"Hooo-ta-ruuuu" groaned an eerie voice. Hotaru turned to the side to watch a black blob form in front of her. As the blob materialized it formed one large eye, and a grinning mouth.

"Ah, hello old friend." She greeted the spirit with a soft smile.

"What brings you back here Hotaru?" the blob asked.

"I wish to become a resident of the forest."

"So I've heard Hotaru, but why would you want such a thing?"

"I figure that if I become a spirit, then I can stay with Gin forever."

"Hotaru" the blob frowned. "Your love for Gin is admirable, but, you know it's too late. Gin's gone."

"I remember." She frowned under the mask as she answered him. "However, I plan to bring him back."

"How do you plan to do that?" another voice asked as a red umbrella formed over Hotaru's head.

"I'm not completely sure to be honest." She answered in a low voice. "But I decided that the first thing I need to do is become a spirit. Then I can talk directly to the god of the mountain about bringing Gin back."

"The God of the mountain has already allowed Gin to live once, what makes you think a girl like you could persuade a God to give Gin life a second time?" The blob asked.

"I'm trading my mortal life, isn't that good enough?"

"Actually, you just promised your mortal life in order to become a spirit. Even if the mountain god listens to your request, you'd have to offer something else in order to make another request," the umbrella added in a melancholy voice.

"If I give up my own life, what else could I offer?"

The blob shook his head, he and the umbrella answered in unison, "we don't know."

Hotaru only sighed heavily in response, allowing her body to slide down to a sitting position, with her back rested against the shrine.

"Hotaru," the blob spoke hesitantly, "we appreciate your dedication to Gin, we all miss him dearly, however…"

"I'm not going home." Hotaru answered stubbornly. "I'm going to stay here until the mountain god grants my request."

"But Hotaru," the umbrella chimed in, "don't you remember what Gin told you? He said it's alright if you forgot about him. He wanted you to move on, and be happy."

"But I'm not happy without him!" Hotaru pouted. "And I tried moving on, I really did. I even got married to a boy in my high school. We got divorced after a year though. He realized what I knew all along, my heart just wasn't in our relationship.

I kept seeing Gin everywhere. Whenever someone passed by with white hair, or lightly colored shining eyes, I'd do a double take. It's like I was in a trance the rest of the time, and the only thing that woke me up was the possibility of seeing him. Of course, every time I got a closer look at whomever I mistaken for Gin, my heart would sink, and I'd curse myself for still getting my hopes up. Then, I would just fall back into being numb.

I don't blame my husband for divorcing me. Who'd want a wife who looks at strangers with longing eyes, and yet, never once looked at him the same way?"

"You're still young Hotaru," the blob said soothingly. "You still have family alive don't you? How do you think your family will feel if they found out you gave up your life to become a spirit."

"I've already told my family of my plans! They wanted to stop me but…" Hotaru stopped to take in a deep breath. "But they knew I was beyond help. Being numb, and moping around for the past five years. They were hoping I'd get over it, they sent me to shrinks, they put me on medication, and they tried taking me on multiple getaways to get my mind off things. I only became more and more removed. When I told my family my plans, my mother cried, but in the end, both my parents, and my uncle, told me that they hope I can find what I'm looking for."

By the time she finished speaking, more spirits have come to surround her. Their eyes were filled with pity for this broken girl whom they remember to once be full of life, spending her summers exploring this forest with their beloved friend Gin.

"Hotaru" their voices whispered.

"You are still young Hotaru, life can improve. You can find love again." A voice in the crowed said.

Hotaru shook her head, a bitter look forming on her hidden face. "I've heard that argument many times. Why does everyone think that just because I'm young means I can't make up my mind on what I want for my life? Yes, I am young, but I met Gin when I was even younger. I have loved him since I was a child, I loved every moment I spent with him as I grew into a teenager, and I have grieved him every day since his death five years ago. What other proof can I show that there is simply no world where I can be truly happy without him?"

Another voice chimed, "But what if you can't bring Gin back? If you become a spirit you'd be waiting for him for eternity."

"Gin can't be gone forever. His spirit is out there somewhere. He's waiting for me, I know he is." Hotaru responded in a whisper.

"None of us have sensed him Hotaru. We've all searched for his spirit."

"I will bring him back with this!" She said as she put her palm over the fox mask resting on her face. "He loved this mask, he had it on nearly always. I think he put part of himself in it. Every now and again, I feel warmth from it, and sometimes, when I hold it, I get the feeling that he's nearby."

A spirit who took the form of an old woman chuckled. "If it's something precious that will bring him back my girl, then it's your presence alone who will call out to his soul."

Hotaru lifted the mask to softly smile at the woman, finally it felt like someone wasn't trying to discourage her from her plans. "Then I will do whatever it takes to get him to hear me."

"But Hotaru, the mountain god hasn't even listened to you yet. How do you expect to become a spirit?"

Hotaru lowered her mask again, her face underneath becoming hardened. "I'm going to prove to the mountain god that I refuse to be ignored. I'm going to pray and wait."

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 **Hi! I recently watched the movie Hotarubi no Mori e. And like a lot of people, found myself oddly obsessed with the characters after that short little film, so I blubbered like little girl when I saw the ending. The chapters of this particular story of mine will probably be short (well, short compared to my chapters in other stories) I'm trying to get back in the habit of writing a page a day of story. Currently this story has a strong hold on my imagination, so hopefully it'll be all written in a relatively short period of time. -crosses fingers-  
**


	2. Awaken

"Gin."

"Gin."

"Gin."

"Gin, you're awake!"

"Have you returned to us?"

"We can feel your presence."

"Can you hear us?"

"Please hear us, you must know."

"Gin she's…"

"Gin she's dying."

"She's dying, Gin."

"She won't leave."

"She's withering away."

"She's waiting for you."

"Save her Gin."

"Please, save her."

Gin never felt so tired in his life. He was disoriented by all the voices speaking to him at once.

"Save who? Who's dying?" He asked weakly, as he tried to rub his head with his palm only to notice he had neither a head nor a palm. He could see and hear his surroundings, but he had no visible body.

 _"What the hell is going on?"_ He wondered.

"Hotaru!" A few voices chimed in at once

"Hotaru? What about…" Gin asked, still disoriented.

"Hotaru is dying!"

"What!?"

"Hotaru has come back here, to be with you Gin."

"But wasn't I?"

"Yes, you were, but you've come back."

"How…?"

"Her spirit must have called to you."

" **SILENCE!** " A loud low voice thundered out. Everyone immediately fell quiet to listen to their guardian deity speak. "Do you know why it is you were cursed to disappear if you were ever touched by a human, Gin?"

"I figured it was because having my life sustained by magic made me weak compared to someone who possessed a naturally living body."

"That is true, but there were other reasons why you were cursed like that. In all honesty, I set that spell because I thought it would protect you. Humans are selfish creatures, they abandoned you when you were completely helpless. I didn't want you to return to the human world. I didn't want you to risk being harmed again. So, I put you under that spell in order to compel you to stay here, away from the humans.

I thought that if your life was in danger just from the mere touch of a human, you'd avoid them at all costs. However, you stupidly ignored that danger, and befriended a human. Now your actions has caused a mess Gin, and your precious human has managed to disturb and upset every inhabitant of my forest."

"You mean Hotaru?" Gin asked in a panicked voice. "What is she doing? And what is this about her dying!?"

"Come to the top of the mountain where my shrine rests, if you wish to see." The mountain god replied.

"I do not know how to move without a body." Gin protested.

"Do not think about it. You'll find that floating your consciousness around is very much like walking. You only get clumsy if you think too hard."

Gin sighed, but took the mountain gods advice. Focusing only on seeing Hotaru again as soon as possible, his field of vision began to move forward on its own. It seemed to be moving very quickly as well. No wonder spirits can travel so fast, without a body they can practically sprint everywhere without dealing with aching muscles, or losing their breath. In a little less than a minute he was at the shrine. However, when he laid eyes on Hotaru, he felt no joy nor relief in their reunion. Instead a deep ache resonated throughout his being.

There she laid, half curled in a ball. Her half lidded eyes had a very vacant look to them, and severe dark circles had formed under them. Her skin was covered in sweat, causing her dress to cling uncomfortably to her body. Her short brown hair was disheveled in several directions, with some of it sticking to her sweaty cheeks. Her skin had lost most of its color, making her nearly ghostly white.

"She… really is dying…" Gin whispered to himself in shock. All the spirits who had gathered around her turned in the direction of Gin's presence, and gave him a look of pained sympathy.

"HOTARU!" Gin screamed. "WHAT HAPPENED? WHY ARE YOU WASTING AWAY HERE? HOTARU I'M ALIVE OKAY? PLEASE GET UP, YOU NEED TO GO HOME."

But Hotaru didn't answer, she didn't even lift her head to acknowledge him. "HOTARU?" Gin's whole presence shook, if he had the ability to cry, he'd be sobbing by now. Why won't she answer his call? Is she already so far gone that not even he could reach her? He could see she's still breathing, but only in short shallow breaths. How long will it last? "HOOOTTAARRUU." He screamed with a voice of pure desperate terror.

"She can't hear you." The mountain god informed him. "Your current presence is too weak for a human to sense."

"Well give me a body that she can see, and I will escort her out of here already!" Gin demanded.

"Gin, she can't travel. She's barely moved for the past day." A spirit sadly informed him in a hushed voice, one that Hotaru's weak consciousness didn't seem to register.

"For the past day? How long has she been here?!"

"Four days, close to five now." The old woman spirit answered him.

"No!" Gin said in a pained voice. "Hotaru is stronger than this, she wouldn't deteriorate this much in five days. She knows how to survive in this forest, I've shown her."

"She doesn't leave the shrine Gin. She hasn't left since she got here. She refuses to eat or drink. We've brought her food, but she rejects it. We've pleaded with her to stay healthy, but she will not sway from her intentions to die here."

"And all of you went along with this?" Gin asked, angrily. "Why didn't you carry her out of here, and bring her back to the human village once she started becoming weak?"

"She forbid us Gin. We don't like seeing her waste away like this anymore than you do. But she made it clear that if any of us tried to save her, she'd only come back here and do this again as soon as she gained the strength to make it back up the mountain."

"Why is she here in the first place?"

"Because she is selfish!" The mountain god interjected. The spirits surrounding the dying girl scowled at their deity in obvious disagreement. "Like I told you before Gin, humans are selfish. Mortals don't understand anything about our world. They have no respect for the delicate balance the gods have to maintain. They think only of their own world, and their own pain.

This girl is no different! You have all been charmed by her pretty face, and innocent love story that unfolded between her and Gin. But her request is absurd! To become a spirit, and spend eternity with her love. What does a girl of twenty years old know of eternity? Human love is so frail, so conditional, and so selfish. Human's pledge eternity to each other every day, but so many of those pledges don't even last for the rest of their mortal lives. A mortal's lifespan is just a drop in the bucket for most of us. If humans can't stay dedicated to each other for that long, what makes you think this girls feelings could stay pure for eternity? She hasn't the ability to even fathom what eternity really is."

"Do you really believe this girl's love is conditional? Or selfish?" The old woman spirit asked. "I'll agree with you sir that most humans emotions are fleeting. But can you really say that of a girl truly willing to give up everything to be with her loved one?"

"Yes, I can, because her reasons are selfish. She has made it clear to you that her current life is nothing but misery, so what she's giving up is really of no value to her anyway. She comes here with nothing in mind but her own pain, and demands me to give her a better life. Not only that, but she charmed all of you to turn against me when I try to turn her away by ignoring her demands. You blame me for her condition, but you all refuse to see the larger picture.

Many humans lose their mates all the time, it's a sad part of the mortal condition. Don't you think all of them at some point prayed to the gods to have a second chance? This girl's heart ache is a tragedy yes, but it's nothing unique to her. If we gods decided to take pity on every suffering human then the balance of life and death would completely break down. What if someone was brought back, only to die again years later? The grieving mate who'd begged for a second chance, would beg again for a third chance. Eventually they'll all end up like this girl, and demand immortality. I'm sorry, but we gods have to respect the balance of nature."

"If that is your answer mountain god, then why not tell her that you reject her request?" Gin pleaded. "At least give her a chance to change her mind, and be carried out of here."

"That's right!" A few of the spirits chimed in. "Even if her humanity makes her ignorant, that's no reason to allow her to die while waiting for an answer."

"Dear Gin," the mountain god spoke in an amused voice. "If my plan was to simply let her die, I wouldn't have called your spirit back. I plan on giving her a chance for the life she wants, but she's going to need to prove to me how pure her dedication is to have such a life."

"She has spent the past five days in prayer at your shrine. What other proof can she offer?" A spirit protested.

"She has said many times that she's willing to give up her life in order to become a spirit here." The mountain god responded. "However, death by neglect is a coward's way out. If she's completely prepared to die, then she will ignore the human instinct of self-preservation. She will deliver to herself, the final blow."

The spirits softly gasped in reaction. Gin could feel his presence tremor. However, before Gin could protest, the mountain god spoke again, in a voice deliberately loud and thunderous.

"HOTARU!" the mountain god called out.

Hotaru lifted her head, and weakly looked around. "Yes?" she croaked out. "Who is it?"

"It's the god of the mountain!" The spirits excitedly assured her. "He has been considering your request."

"He has?" Hotaru pushed up her upper body, so she could sit with her back against the shrine. She heard a small clatter, and looked down to notice that the fox mask fell out from under her arm. She picked it back up, and placed it neatly on her lap. A slight glimmer of hope began to form on her previously vacant face. "Thank you for listening to me, oh great mountain god. What is your answer to my request?"

"I will grant you your request, but first you must show me that you are truly prepared to leave behind your mortal life. You must kill yourself in the next ten minutes, and you must do it as he watches."

"As who…" Hotaru turned her head side to side, and then she saw it, on the outer left edge of the shrine. There stood half transparent young man, with pale skin, combed back white hair, and silver eyes.

The boy was confused as to why Hotaru was staring in his direction, until he looked down to notice that an image similar to his old body has formed around him. He took steps closer to her as the crowed parted to make way for him. When he got close enough to be just inches away from where she sat, he dropped down to a squat so he could look directly into her tired eyes. "Hotaru…" he whispered sadly.

Hotaru stared back into his eyes in both disbelief and wonder. "Gin?!"


	3. Sacrifice

"Gin, is that really you?" Hotaru asked as she began to reach for the young man's translucent cheek. Her fingertips were a centimeter away from his image before she hesitated, and dropped her hand, fearing the possible consequences of her actions.

"Yes Hotaru, I'm here. Can you hear me now?" Gin asked cautiously.

Hotaru weakly tilted her head, and lifted an eyebrow. "Of course I can hear you. You're right in front of me. I'm so glad to see you Gin, I didn't expect that you'd be back so soon." Hotaru smiled wide for him, while starting to fuss with her dress, pulling the lower half up to reveal her legs.

"Hotaru, what on earth are you doing?" Gin asked bewildered. "Now's really not the time for…"

"I'm not doing that! Silly Gin." Hotaru softly giggled, and revealed a large leather pouch with its pull string tied just above her right knee. She untied the strings, and pulled out a sharp four inch dagger from the pouch. "Actually, Gin, it'd be best if you look away right now." She said, as her face quickly turned somber. "I never wanted you to see me like this. Those kinds of memories can scar the mind, and my death will never be nearly as beautiful as yours was."

Gins eyes widened, and he reached out, placing his hands on Hotaru's shoulders. Or at least he tried to. He couldn't feel her, and she couldn't feel him. His touch left no pressure on her skin, his mirage of a body gave off no heat. And yet, after pausing for a few seconds to make sure the worst possible outcome doesn't occur again, Gin was relieved, actually happy for the first time to have this new form.

"Look Hotaru, we can be together like this." Gin said cheerfully. "I can touch you now. I know in this form it's not perfect, but its better. We don't have to be so cautious around each other. You don't need to worry about me disappearing anymore. We can go back to the way it used to be. Seeing each other every day, spending time in this forest. We'll make this work. So you don't have to die! You can continue being human, and still have me. Hotaru, please don't do this, I never wanted you to suffer because of me."

Hotaru shook her head, peering at Gin with sad eyes. "But Gin, I don't want to stay a human. Back then, when I was spending my summers with you, at some point it just occurred to me, how fast I was aging, and it terrified me.

I mean, I met you as a child, and you used to be a big grown up in my eyes. But then time flew, and when I was in high school I caught up to you. Now I surpass you Gin. My body will keep aging. While you stay perfectly young and beautiful, I will continue aging until I'm in my thirty's, and then my forty's, and beyond. One day my body will become slow, and I won't be able to keep up with you in the forest. One day I won't have the strength to even make it up the hill in order to greet you at the stairs. As long as I'm like this, time is just too limited. I want to be with you forever Gin."

"I've had those same fears." Gin replied softly. "Especially during the seasons when you were gone. I always felt like I never had enough time with you. Even when you were a teen, and had many years ahead of you, I always had this panic that I just couldn't shake. I wanted to be with you every moment so I'd never miss a thing. I was afraid that when you became an adult, you'd no longer need a teenage ghost to spend your days with."

Hotaru softly chuckled. "That's funny, because I always thought that when I got into my sixties you'd get tired of being tied down by an old woman."

Gin shook his head. "Hotaru, I'd love you, and cherish you until your dying breath."

"What about after my dying breath Gin?" Hotaru pleaded. "Would you still love me if I became a spirit? Do you want to be together for all of eternity? I understand that's a long time, so if you don't want to be with me that long…"

"Hotaru" Gin interrupted her, gazing lovingly in her eyes. "I have lived for over a millennia and a half. I know what eternity feels like. My everlasting life was empty before I met you, and I already knew it'd be empty again when the day came that I'd no longer see you. Imagining spending the rest of eternity with you by my side is the most beautiful, fulfilling life I could ever have the honor of living."

Hotaru grinned wide, and leaned forward ever so slightly to place her chapped lips against Gins translucent ones. After a brief kiss, she picked up the dagger resting on her leg. "Then please, let me do what I need to do. Time is running out."

Gin sighed, but then nodded. He placed his hands over hers. Both her hands were gripping the hilt of the dagger with trembling fingers. She raised the dagger up until it was level to her face, the point facing downwards, in the direction of her gut. Her whole body start to shake. She cursed herself under her breath.

"Why now must I be terrified?" she cried.

"Hotaru, just look at me." Gin said reassuringly. Hotaru looked up, with frightened eyes and a quivering lower lip. "It's alright." Gin soothed her. "I will see you on the other side. I promise."

Hotaru just nodded in response before taking a deep breath. "Off to our future we go." She managed to say in a terrified and broken voice, before plunging her arms down as forcefully as possible, digging the dagger as deep as it could go into her abdomen. As the pain set in, she was actually relieved that she was able to cut so deep in a single blow. She could already tell that the pain would stop her from cutting herself again if the first time failed.

Despite her insanely painful and exhausted state of being, she was able to look down and notice her white cotton dress start to turn crimson in the area around the embedded knife. She looked back up to Gin. The soothing expression Gin had on only moments ago had completely disappeared, and now Hotaru was absently gazing into the eyes of a boy who was both shocked and terrified. She wanted to tell him that it's alright. She wanted to apologize that he had to see this. But she was coughing blood, and couldn't catch her breath. Her eyes were getting heavy, her whole body started to feel like it was turning to stone, the pain was subsiding, it was time to sleep.

 _"Please be enough to let me die. Please let me pass on in time. Please don't force Gin to go through the same pain of loss that I went through."_

Then there was nothing. Hotaru felt nothing, she saw nothing, she thought nothing. It was a euphoric surrender. She did everything that she could possibly do, and now it was out of her hands. She could finally stop suffering, and get some rest.

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 **For those who have made it to the end of this chapter, congratulations! You've made it through the climax of angst. It's strange, I'm actually a huge fan of well written angst fics, because there's just something amazing from reading something that pulls me in and makes me emotionally die a little. The fact a story can do that is amazing.**

 **However writing like this is completely new for me and it's somewhat of a guilty pleasure. I'm drawn in by my own story but I don't want it to be so sad or dramatic that it's a turn off for my readers. Especially since the original story was a tear jerker to begin with! It gets better from here, I promise!  
**

 **I also want to thank Cazzicle for leaving me a review. I realize I'm like 5 years late for finding this movie so not that many people are searching for fanfics based off of it. Very low views made me feel pretty discouraged after posting the first chapter, so it really helped me out to know there was someone out there interested 3**


	4. Rebirth

"It sure is taking long. Is this normal?" Hotaru heard a concerned voice whisper.

"I'm not sure. It's been ages since a new spirit formed here."

"I think it's different with each spirit. After all, do any of you remember how long it took to be reborn?"

A few voices replied to the question. None of them could recall their own birth.

" _Are they talking about me? Did I make it in time?"_ Hotaru wondered, as she became awake enough to be aware of her own body. It felt like she had been laying in place for a long time. She stretched out her toes, and lifted her arms above her head in order to shake off the stiffness.

"Look she's awake." Hotaru heard the familiar voice of the old woman spirit speak.

" _Well either I'm a spirit, or somehow my human body survived. I'm still with the spirits of the forest, so this isn't heaven."_ Hotaru opened her eyes groggily, and placed her hand on her abdomen. _"Nope, definitely no dagger."_

"Hotaru!" A few voices spoke in happy exclamation, while she pushed her weight down on her arms in order to lift the upper half of her body up.

"Hello everyone." She answered with a sheepish smile, bringing one hand up to rub her eye while leaning her weight on the other palm. "How long have I been out?" She asked.

"About two days." The umbrella spirit answered her.

"Oh." Hotaru responded, not quite sure why she asked. Though she was curious to know how long the others were watching over her. Or rather, how long Gin was waiting for her. Speaking of Gin, where was he? Hotaru thought for sure he'd be sitting by her side when she woke up.

Hotaru looked at the crowed of faces pleased to see her, and wondered if her eyesight wasn't completely working yet. After all, last time she saw Gin, he was mostly see through. Maybe the light in her eyes was making him hard to see.

"Did I miss anything?" She asked the spirits, not wanting to be rude after all their support, by asking only about Gin right away.

"Um, sort of." The fox spirit walked forward, towards Hotaru speak closely. The previously jubilant group of friends had suddenly became tense, which sent a chill down Hotaru's spine. "It's about Gin. He's still with us, but he can't speak."

"Can't speak? For how long?" Hotaru asked in a nervous tone.

"Well, it's a little complicated, so try to listen until I finish." The fox spirit said in the most soothing tone he could muster. Hotaru quietly nodded in response. "After you died, the image of Gin dissipated immediately. Leaving him to be a floating consciousness… a um… spirit without a form I guess would be the best way to put it. He was like that before, when he first woke up, but back then we were able communicate with him telepathically. This time is different, we can sense his presence, so we know he's here, but he can't speak with us."

"It's the mountain gods fault!" a spirit in the crowd shouted angrily.

"What?" Hotaru asked.

"I'm about to get to that." The fox spirit interrupted. He turned back cast a stern gaze to the spirit that interrupted him, before continuing his explanation. "Very soon after Gin's image disappeared, the mountain god told us to give you a message. He said that you still have a long way to go in proving yourself worthy of the miracles he performed for you. You have disturbed the balance of life and death which can never be fully restored. However, if you wish to make up for some of the damage, you can give up your mortal body in order to give Gin form. That way your death would, in a way, provide him new life."

"My body…?" Hotaru blinked, and fully stood up for the first time. She turned around, and there it was, about ten feet away from her, her corpse. She took a few steps closer to examine it, and then wished she didn't. Her body looked so… destroyed. Enough time had gone by that her flesh was covered in insects, and her skin had become blotched with reds and blues in some places, while waxy white in others.

Not to mention the stench. When the smell hit her nose, she took a few steps backwards, tripping over a vine in the process. The fox spirit rushed over in time that her shoulders collided with his back, breaking her backwards fall, but Hotaru was in such a daze that she just silently sat there slumped against the fox's side. A few long moments passed before she finally managed to speak in a shocked tone. "The mountain god wants Gin to occupy **that**?!"

"I know a way to fix it." The old woman spirit said, stepping forward. "There are things in this forest with special properties to mend the organs and revitalize the flesh."

"Even if that's true, if my body was brought back to life, wouldn't it suck my soul back into it? Then everything I did to become a spirit would be in vain."

The fox spirit shook his head. "I don't believe the mountain god would perform such a trick. He doesn't trust humans, which is why he's harsh on you, but he is not cruel. If he says that your body is what it takes to give Gin a form, then we must have faith that this plan has the possibility of working."

Hotaru looked back to the face of the fox spirit who only looked about half as confident as he was trying to sound. She then pushed herself up off of his side, and stood to address the rest of the gathered spirits.

"Look. I know I'm not the only one who missed Gin. I know he was precious to all of you, and none of you would like to see him disappear again so soon. I don't know the mystic properties of this mountain, and I also don't know much about the mountain god who has granted me this new life. So, since we all know what's on the line here, I'm putting my faith in all of you to choose the best way to bring Gin back. If you think repairing my body will do it, then I give you permission to use my body and do whatever needs to be done."

All the spirits seemed to glance at each other before collapsing together into a large huddle. Whispers of what sounded like hundreds of voices talking at once went on for no more than a minute before they all nodded in agreement. Then they turned back to Hotaru, and in unison they bowed to her and said,

"Just leave it to us!"

Before Hotaru could open her mouth to respond, they all scattered to get the necessary materials to make their plan work. She then turned around to notice the fox hadn't left her side. She was appreciative of that, she didn't really want to deal with being alone, and awake watching over her own dead body.

"They're going with the old woman's plan, to use the waters of healing, and the tree of life to turn back time on your body." The fox answered the unvoiced question that was on Hotaru's mind. "I'm glad they decided to do that, the more you cooperate with the mountain god, the more he will warm up to you."

"I wonder if this means Gin will go under the same spell as before. Seeing as he's going to be put into a human body."

"Hard to tell." The fox mused. "The situation seems similar, but in actuality it's very different. The first time this happened, Gin was just a normal human infant. The god casted a spell on him so his human body would be able to survive, despite being raised by spirits who could never provide him with the things human parents could. This time though, it's like… he's already a spirit, he just needs to have a form provided to him in order to interact with the world around him. I think there's a human term akin to this. One used in ghost stories… hmm… 'possession' was it?"

Hotaru nodded her head in confirmation. "Though, now that you put it in those terms, if Gin possesses my body doesn't that mean it'll never really be 'his form?' Wouldn't he be trapped as a woman?" Hotaru cringed. "I never wanted to date myself."

"One thing at a time Hotaru." The fox spirit softly chided her. "I know in your eye's, you'd expect spirits who lived for hundreds or thousands of years to know everything, but honestly there are just some phenomena we've never seen. We don't know what the final result will be, but you shouldn't be hesitant to bring him back just because of fear of possible minor consequences."

"I'm not hesitant. I do want him back!" Hotaru whined, somewhat childishly. "I just can't help but wonder about what's going to happen. Those kinds of consequences aren't minor to me." She added sullenly.

The fox chuckled. "You are a strange human."

"I'm sure I'm also a strange spirit."

"Possibly, though it's hard to compete with spirits when it comes to being strange."

"So you're saying I'll fit right in." Hotaru added with a proud smile.

The fox smiled back. "I was sure of that long before today."

By then a group of five spirits came in view carefully carrying a large basin full of water up the mountain steps.

"That was pretty fast." Hotaru said in amazement.

"Be faster if they weren't carrying something they were afraid to spill." The fox spirit mused.

"So that's the waters of healing?" Hotaru asked as the basin was slowly placed on the ground a few feet away from her discarded human body. "Is it magical?"

"Not quite." The old woman spirit said. She was walking towards them with an apple in her hand, and a cluster of leafs cradled in her arms. She continued passed them, and emptied her load of green foliage into the basin. "It's not ordinary water, that's for sure. It has the ability to absorb spiritual energy and concentrate it. Without the contribution of spirits, it's just harmless water. So you could say that the magic is within us." The old woman spirit winked at Hotaru with a grin.

"Wait, if we have the water, and the tree, then what did the others get?"

"Ceremonial aids." The old woman spirit answered her. "Incense, drums, the kinds of things that help us focus and channel our energy's. They should be back any second now."

As if they were on que, the rest of the crowd came running back to the clearing of the shrine. Ceremonial instruments in hand, at least, for those who had hands.

"Good!" The old woman spirit exclaimed with a clap of her hands. "Now we can begin!"

"First shouldn't you remove the…" Hotaru stole a short glance at her dead body, and noticed that there was no hilt protruding from her abdomen. She then turned to the fox spirit, and bent down to whisper in his ear. "What happened to the dagger?"

"We removed it from you, and buried it." He whispered back. "Just leaving it there would be disrespectful. Besides, I assume you'd prefer to never see that object again for the rest of your immortal life."

"Thanks." She whispered with appreciation in her voice, as she rubbed his head.

"Oi, no petting. If you do that again I'll turn back into a blob and eat you."

Hotaru chuckled. Even though her heart ached the most for Gin, she was starting to realize how much she missed the friends she made here. She felt like she made the right decision to become a spirit, she felt much more alive in this forest than she ever did in the human world.

The four large drums were placed in a semi-circle around the shrine, as the players started to play a slow ceremonial beat. The vibrations from the drums pulsed deep enough that every spirit could feel the music in their metaphorical bones.

The incent sticks were placed in five foot increments just outside the edges of the shines stone surface. When the spirits finished placing them, the sticks completely went around the circumference of the shrine, filling the air with lilac and musk.

"It's our turn!" A spirit of a young male said, as he took Hotaru's hand, and drew her closer to the shrines center. "Once the old woman submerges the body in the tub, we all link hands and channel our spiritual energy through one spirit. That one spirit will dip their fingers in the water to transfer all the stored up energy. The water will do the rest."

"So, we're going to channel our energies to the old woman?" Hotaru asked the male.

"Actually," the old woman spirit turned to Hotaru. "I think it's best if you do the honors."

"Me?" Hotaru panicked. "I don't even know how to give my own spirit energy. Let alone transfer everyone else's. What if I mess up?"

"You won't my dear." The old woman comforted her. "I promise when time comes, the process will come naturally to you. I've told you before, if anyone is suited to call Gin back into this world, it is you, and you alone."

"Okay then. I'll do it." Hotaru knew she was being flattered into this, but she trusted the old woman spirit. Ever since the old woman was the first to encourage her goals, a strong bond has formed between them in a short amount of time. "But let me do one last thing before you move the body."

The old woman nodded, and Hotaru took one hand to pinch her nose as she bravely approached her corpse. Refusing to fully look at herself again, her eyes scanned for the item she most cherished ever since Gin's death. She found it between her legs resting against her left calf. It must have fallen off her lap after while she died somehow. She carefully picked up the mask, and while refusing to look at her dead face, managed to strap it on around her head.

"There we go." Hotaru said, while straitening back up, and backing away from her body. "Now he'll feel more like himself when he wakes up."

Hotaru felt a nudge on the back of her leg, and looked back to see the fox spirit gaze at her with sad sympathetic eyes, and an expression along the lines of 'I'll let you pet me this time because I know this is hard for you.'

Hotaru shook her head, trying to smile, but tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes. She brushed them off quickly. "It's alright, I'm ready to try this. Let's Gin back okay?"

The fox spirit nodded. The old woman spirit lifted her arms in the air, and exclaimed "LET THE CEREMONY BEGIN!" The forest filled with exalted cheers in response.

The old woman called on two assistants to help carefully lift the body, and then submerge it in the basin. She then raised up the apple she got from the tree of life, and punctured the skin of it with her nails before dropping it in the water.

"The apple is actually the most magical of these materials" The fox spirit explained to Hotaru. She was standing close to the basin now, but the fox decided he'd be more helpful in this situation by being her support instead of joining the circle. "The tree of life only produces two a year at most, and if they aren't carefully harvested and preserved, they rot the second they fall from the tree. The apple is considered to be the 'nourishment of the soul.' Without it the body can be regained to health, but it will not allow a soul to enter it. For some reason the juice of the apple allows the spark of life to flicker." Hotaru nodded in understanding of the fox's explanation. "Are you ready for the next part?" He asked her.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Hotaru nervously replied.

The fox nodded to the circle of spirits standing behind them. With all their hands linked, the circle of spirts began to chant. As they chanted each spirit began to glow. Hotaru thought it was mesmerizing. Each spirit had a unique color ranging from deep sapphire blue to the lightest hue of lilac. The circle became a shining rainbow of life.

"Hotaru, look down." The fox told her, breaking her from her trance of watching the others.

She looked down to her own hands, and noticed that every inch of her skin was glowing pure white. The glowing aura floated off like wisp's reaching two inches away from her skin. "Is this… my spirit energy?"

"Beautiful isn't it?" The fox mused looking her over. "It looks like you're able to put some of your spirit into him after all."

"But I don't know how to control it. What if I lose too much energy and pass out again?"

"Not to worry my girl" The old woman spirit came up behind her. "The chant controls the energy, you're just attuned to it like the rest of us." The old woman placed a single hand on Hotaru's shoulder, her other hand still entwined with the person to her left in the circle. "It's now time for the final part, please dip your fingers in the water."

Hotaru nodded nervously, and did as the old woman requested. The water was cold and tinted with blood so Hotaru decided not to look at it, instead deciding to let the technicolor glow surrounding her enchant her eyes and calm her nerves. A moment later she felt another hand place on her shoulder. She looked behind to notice the circle had moved closer to include her, each person in the circle on either side of her with their hands placed on her shoulders, once again completing the circuit. The chanting then paused for a moment. She looked down to the fox in confusion, hoping he'd answer what's supposed to happen next.

The fox noticed her plea, but before he had the chance to open his mouth, a wholly different chant started to be uttered, and one by one each spirits glowing aura started to fade out. At the same time Hotaru noticed as more spirits began to lose their aura, it grew stronger as it made its way through the circle.

By the time half the circle was extinguished, the wisps of energy that previously could only reach a few inches past each of the spirits skin, was now growing into an aura that reached a foot away from their body on all sides. Even so, the amplified energies also extinguished, and passed on, each spirit contributing their own energy to make the power surge even larger. Hotaru's eyes widened as she noticed the two now gigantic balls of spiritual energy was just two spirits away from her on either side. She was the last link in the chain, everyone's energy was going to collide into her. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, bracing herself for impact.

At first it felt very warm. Not burning, but like the comfortable warm she'd feel first waking up under a pile of blankets. It was a securing and comfortable warmth, one that she didn't want to give up. The next sensation she felt was energy, infinite energy, she felt the power surging in her that made her want to climb numerous mountains, or break out into dance and not stop for a week. She shook with energy, it made it hard to stand still, she could feel her fingers vibrate in the basin, causing the water to splash up her palms.

"Easy my dear, stay still." She could hear the old woman's voice softly murmur close to her ear. She opened her eyes, and was nearly immediately blinded. All the communities' spirit energy has been converted into her own, and her pure white aura has turned into a mushroom cloud of light shining bright over the complete surface of the shrine, and extending yards into the surrounding forest. "The power is strong I know. But if you want him back you must willingly let it go." The old woman informed her.

Hotaru laughed nervously. "With pleasure. It was never in my plans to become a living light house." Hotaru could hear a soft chuckle from the old woman spirit as she exhaled deeply. Focusing on her fingers still dipped in the water she slowly plunged her arms deeper down till her fingers brushed against the forehead of the wooden fox mask. "It's all yours now, Gin. Just like we promised. I'll see you on the other side."

Very suddenly all the energy blasted out of Hotaru like a pistol. She was knocked back, and before she could catch her balance she felt the old woman's hands pressed against her shoulder blades to keep her steady. She gave the old woman a kind smile, and then grabbed the edge of the water basin for support so she could lean forward and watch what was happening inside.

The water was alight with pure white glow, the aura seemed to be much more contained though as the light only glowed a few inches outside of the basins edges. "The water is now absorbing our power to repair your body." The fox said. Hotaru looked to the side, and noticed he was standing up on his hind paws so his front paws could also rest against the basin. "See, your stomach is closing up."

Hotaru strained her eyes to focus, but she was delighted to see the fox was right. The only remaining proof of her wound was a slightly pink patch of skin on her stomach. She noticed her body's skin was glowing in the healing water before the glow dulled down revealing a much more humanly flesh tone, and all the pained lines on her face were smoothed. It was strange looking at herself. She thought it's the best she's looked in a while. Everything was rejuvenated to new, her mortal body had been reborn.

"Still looks like me though." She whispered to the fox with concern in her voice.

"Maybe it will change once Gin's spirit takes over."

"When will that happen?"

"Soon." The fox assured her, and then, almost immediately, Hotaru noticed a ball of soft green light. She remembered that color vividly, the color of Gin's spirit as it broke into many pieces and floated away from her arms. She thought many times after that night how Gin's spirit reminded her of fireflies. As if his existence was made from the essence of the forest of fireflies light. It always felt like his presence was entwined with this place through every single heart he touched, including hers.

The ball of light slightly brushed along Hotaru's cheek before lofting down into the tub. Then more balls of light came, one after another embracing her with their warmth. They passed through her hair, then rolled down her face just briefly brushing against her lips, continued down her arms and between her fingers before entering the water, each one turning the white basin slightly greener.

Minutes past until what seemed like one hundred balls of light had embraced Hotaru on their trek into their new body. Now the glow of water was saturated in the glowing firefly green of Gin's spirit. Hotaru continued to watch as each ball of light clung to the skin of her previous body until it was absorbed in. Much to her relief, the body in front of her began to morph. Her chest slowly flattened as her hips narrowed, and the complexion of her skin turned a few shades paler. Through the hole in her cotton dress she could see the abdomen of her body becoming firmer and more muscled. Last was her hair, which oddly stayed the same length while it turned silver.

Once all the orbs of light had been absorbed into the transformed body there was nothing but stillness and silence so strong you could hear it if someone exhaled. No one did though, they were all holding their breath waiting for the still body to move first.

Seconds tick by, each one seeming longer than the other. When an eternity and a half seemed to pass, the body very quickly lunged up, one wet hand reached for the side of the basin for support and ended up clutching onto the back of Hotaru's hands, which were still vice gripped to the side of the tub. The sudden movement made her flinch and try to lean back, but her hands were trapped. At this point she could only pray that it was really Gin who emerged.

Whoever was in there was now coughing, and sputtering behind the mask, trying to expel the water from their mouth. Then a pale hand reached up to remove the mask. And there he was, unmistakable, with shining silver eyes, Gin. He was spitting out water now, and heaving to gain his breath, but Hotaru was so happy just to see him that she was starting to cry tears of joy just to have him back in any condition.

She then looked down on her hands where Gin's palm rested, it was different from when he reached out for her two days ago. She could feel the pressure of Gin's weight held up by his arm. She could feel the warmth of his palm against her hand warm up the layer of water between them. She could feel Gin! It was a feeling terrifying and amazing all at once.

She mentally reminded herself she was a spirit, that even if he had the curse again she wouldn't harm him anyway, and yet, for some reason, she always thought that even in immortality she'd need to be careful. Ever since his death she never allowed herself to yearn for his touch, whenever she imagined it, she was crippled with guilt for ever wishing for something that took him away for her.

"Hotaru." Her eyes flickered back to Gin, he looked to still be winded, but he was smiling now.

"You're back!" Hotaru cried out happily.

Gin nodded reassuringly, and used his free hand to softly wipe away her tears, allowing Hotaru time to blubber out her overflowing emotions. His grin widened as he watched her. He was also ecstatic to notice his ability to feel the soft skin of her cheeks, the warmth of her tears. It was a strange first moment to have, finally being able to fully touch, but he was glad to have it all the same.

He gently rubbed the back of her hand until her tears dried up. He then lifted his hand in order to gently pry hers off from the ledge of the basin. As her hand freed he took her palm in his and brought the back of her hand up to his lips so he could kiss it. She grinned wide at him even though she was still sniffling.

"Sorry I'm a mess." She whispered to him in a cracked voice.

"I doubt I look much better right now." He answered with a shy smile. "Hotaru." He said, and then paused out of nervousness. "Would you… like to go on a proper date with me?"

Hotaru's eyes widened, and despite the ache in her throat she couldn't help but break out in laughter. "Of course I will!"

* * *

 **Ello. Sorry for the wait folks, and thank you for all the guest reviews :D It means so much to me.**

 **I realize this chapter makes different religious references. I only know bits and pieces, names and references. So I apologize if I over fictionalized or generalized anyone's religion or ceremonial services. Please don't send me letters with biblical paragraphs explaining how much I slaughtered things DX**

 **I'm considering giving the old woman spirit a name. It'd be better than continuing to refer to her as "the old woman spirit." Even though I didn't plan it, she's become a major supporting character. I hope ya'll like her, or at the very least, you don't dislike her.**

 **I hope this chapter is a break from the angst for you. At least I added in some comedy moments and less depressing interaction between Hotaru and the community. The next one is gonna be quite fluffy now that they're fully together :D**


	5. Recovery

After Gin was pulled out of the basin, he was given back his normal clothes. In the end, even though it hurt to have a reminder of him, the spirits of the forest didn't dare throw out Gin's belongings. Much like the mask Hotaru held onto, they cherished the items that connected them to their old friend.

He thanked them all for taking good care of his clothes, and then walked behind a tree in order to privately change out of the tattered white cotton dress he woke up in. He was almost done putting on his white floral over shirt when everyone turned their heads in slight panic after hearing a low 'THUD' come from the other side of a tree.

Hotaru and the fox spirit were the first to run over, she gasped when she found Gin to be lying face down in the ground. "What's wrong!?" She asked in a fearful tone. Her mind already worried that maybe something went wrong in his transition to his new body.

The fox approached Gin, and turned Gin over with his muzzle before pressing his ear to Gin's chest. "It's alright, he just passed out. He was just reborn you know."

Hotaru and the others that gathered behind her sighed in relief. "So he'll be out for two days like I was?" Hotaru asked.

"Hard to tell." The old woman spirit said, emerging herself from the rest of the group. "Might be a few hours, might be a week."

"A week?" Hotaru pouted.

The old woman chuckled. "Dear girl, please believe us when we say a week is nothing when you're immortal. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to spend with your loved one later. In fact, you'll have so much time you won't know what to do with each other."

Hotaru looked at the old woman doubtfully but said nothing. She most likely had a point, however after five years of suffering without Gin, the idea of having 'too much time' with him seemed almost impossible to Hotaru.

The old woman could practically read her thoughts by her expression, and sighed a happy sigh. It's been a very long time since she recalled what young love looked like, in all its purity and stubbornness. The old woman shrugged, showing Hotaru that she wasn't going to push the topic any further.

"Either way, I'm sure you're going to take care of him in the meantime." The old woman said looking to Hotaru with a smile on her face, before turning back to the others. "Come everyone, let's leave these two in peace. We could all use a nap after ceremonies anyway."

Hotaru blinked, after having the spirits by her side for so much it was a little frightening for them all to leave at once. Not that she wasn't hoping for some private time with Gin, but this situation isn't exactly what she had in mind.

"Wait!" She called out. "I don't know what to do here. What if something goes wrong before he wakes up?"

"He's perfectly fine my dear child, just as the Fox told you. All you need to do is stay near him."

"Stay near Gin." Hotaru repeated in her mind, finding it slightly humorous someone had to instruct her to do something that comes the most natural. More natural than her own survival. Stay near Gin. Next thing she knew almost everyone was gone, scattered to go back to doing whatever they were doing before her arrival disrupted daily life in the forest. Only the ever faithful fox spirit remained.

"Don't you also need a nap?" Hotaru asked curiously, as she carefully adjusted Gin so his head and shoulders rested on her lap.

"I wasn't part of the circle, so I still have energy." The fox replied. "Why? Would you prefer I left?"

"Oh no!" Hotaru blurted out quickly. "It's just that the others moved on so fast. I thought you'd want to go to."

The fox tilted his head. "They trust you, you know. That's why they left. We saw you, even as a child, protecting Gin. Demanding him to never get too close to you even at your own peril. Just as Gin was protecting you from ever being scared of anything in this forest. You two have always watched out for each other, that's why we trust the two of you in each other's care. We would have left you in Gin's care while you were sleeping if it wasn't for the fact that you wouldn't know what to do once you woke up."

Hotaru nodded. "Well, when you put it that way it's an honor. I just thought everyone would want to spend more time with him, especially since he just got back."

The fox chuckled. "It is as the old woman said before. Time is never an issue for us. Our time to spend with him will come eventually. We have no doubts about that. One day you'll be able to comprehend this, but for now I assume that you'd prefer not to spend another minute away from him."

Hotaru nodded rapidly in response.

"I'll be off on my own path soon." The fox said. "I just thought I'd offer to help move him if you wanted."

Hotaru beamed a grin. "The meadow would be nice!"

The Fox nodded with a smile.

* * *

Hotaru didn't fit the bill of a girl who had a date cancelled on her. In fact, she could probably take the record of being the most cheery presence the forest has seen in ages. The first day of watching over Gin, she spent most the time asleep as well. She'd wake up periodically to make sure his head still rested against her lap, and traced her fingers over his serene face until she drifted off again. During her waking hours she grinned like a fool about how beautiful everything was. The meadow was beautiful, the sunlight was beautiful, the wind was beautiful, and of course, being able to enjoy it all in the presence of her beloved was the most beautiful sensation of all.

Gin was there, in the meadow with her, laying on her lap. Hotaru wanted to pinch herself because this experience still felt like a daydream. Everything she longed for, for what seemed like countless years had all came true. She was so happy it was a little frightening to her. She was afraid this was all some complex dream or hallucination, and that any moment now she'd awaken to the real world and relive her heartbreak. Her chest would tighten thinking of how much further she'd fall into depression after experiencing this high. Whenever it popped in her head she'd reach for Gin's hand and squeeze it in her own, while using her free hand to run her fingers through the grass. Being able to feel her surroundings made it seem more real.

"Yes. I am here. This is reality. I am a spirit. I've become one of the community members of the forest of fireflies light." She whispered to herself, and then giggled at the irony of it. In the human world, if you believed yourself to be neighbors with a talking umbrella or a fox that can morph into a blob, that would be a sure fire sign that you are indeed NOT experiencing reality.

Luckily for her, she didn't have very much time to dwell on it. By day two of her watch over Gin, some of the spirits showed up to the meadow to keep her company. They'd come with food for Hotaru, and then stick around and tell her stories about Gin. When one spirit braked from storytelling another continued. Hotaru learned about what Gin was like as a child, and how embarrassingly difficult it was for the spirits to try and raise a human. Hotaru heard happy stories, sad stories, silly stories, and adventurous stories. Each moment they recall of Gin was precious, she could see it in their faces, and hear it in their voices.

She realized how stupid it was to stay away from this forest during her time of grieving. She spent five years suffering in silence over a person she didn't dare talk about in the human world, when all this time she could have been here, balling her eyes out with a community that would of cried with her.

There was one common theme to the stories. Everyone told Hotaru how Gin used to be lonely. He kept it to himself, because he didn't want to upset his family, but they could tell.

They could tell by the look in his eyes during the brief moments he'd remove his mask.

"I think that's why he wore the mask all the time. To hide his loneliness. Which is also why he was able to give it to you that night. Because he could finally smile on his own."

They could tell by the way he'd just listlessly wander around the forest by himself for days on end.

"And then after wandering around he'd just sit up on a hill, and sigh. Like he was looking to find something special, and ended up disappointed that he couldn't find it."

They could tell by the way he'd stand at the edge of the forest, and stare longingly through the trees at a world that he could never enter.

"None of us told him he was human, it's like he just knew there was something missing in his life. You humans call it instinct right? He sensed that he wasn't in his own tribe."

All the stories would end with their appreciation that Hotaru came into Gin's life.

"After you came it's like Gin transformed, he was so full of life."

"He had something to look forward to every day."

"Every now again we'd catch him smiling for no reason, and we knew he was thinking of you."

"He'd get so excited at night trying to plan out where to take you, and what to do the next day. It was cute."

"He was able to be close to us once again."

"You gave him hope."

"You gave him light."

Hotaru knew the spirits told her these things with the best intentions of making her understand her own value to Gin. But as the night wound down, and her company left her alone to her own thoughts, she found herself feeling mostly sad about what she learned of Gin's struggles.

After all, how long had Gin lived before she had come along? She wasn't entirely sure, and the spirits have such an abstract sense of time it's not like they could explain it any terms she can understand. All she knew was that it was a very long time, at least in humans sense of time. Hotaru only wished she could of been born sooner. Se wished she could've been someone Gin grown up playing with, so he never had to know the crushing feeling of loneliness.

Hotaru leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Gin's lips before whispering "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" a voice asked curiously as Gin's eyelids slowly opened. He was grinning wide, trying not to laugh. "If it's for kissing me, you should never apologize for that."

Hotaru grinned wide, and let out an amused snort. "Welcome back."

Gin nodded, and moved to sit up next to Hotaru, before leaning his face close to hers. "Glad to be back. Would it be too forward if I asked you to try that again?"


End file.
